Sander Ratsep, named the series’ MVP, led the number-two nationally-ranked Tigers with nine kills, three aces and four digs. The Tigers opened the best-of-three championship series with a 3-0 victory in Halifax on Friday. Devon Parkinson added seven kills and nine digs for Dalhousie. Ryley Boldon led the Varsity Reds with 10 kills and two digs and Tyler Veenhuis had seven kills and two digs.

In Brandon, Man., the Thompson Rivers University Wolfpack won the third and deciding quarterfinal match over the Brandon Bobcats 25-23, 16-25, 25-21, 26-24. It was the third consecutive year the Wolfpack won their opening round series and the second time in three years it was against Brandon.

In Quebec City, the Université Laval Rouge et Or, ranked number-one in Canada, remained undefeated this season winning the opening match in the best-of-three Quebec Conference final 25-22, 25-21, 25-23 over the Université de Montréal Carabins. The Rouge et Or went 18-0 in regular season play and received a bye to the championship final.

Frédéric Desbiens led Laval’s offence with 17 kills while Frédéric Mondou, the conference’s rookie of the year, added nine. Emmanuel André-Morin was Montreal’s top scorer with 15 kills.

‘’It was important for us to win this match in straight games,’’ said Laval’s coach Pascal Clément. ‘’We didn’t play to our full potential. It was a first provincial final for several players and we were more nervous than usual.’’

Game two is Friday in Montreal at 7 p.m. (local).

Meanwhile the CIS announced the seedings and schedule for the 2010 women’s volleyball national championships at the University of Alberta in Edmonton March 5-7. The top-two seeds, two-time defending champion UBC and the Université de Montréal, enter the championships with perfect 22-0 regular season and playoff records combined.